Owning a dog is both a huge responsibility and one of the most satisfying experiences in the world. Your pet is capable of great love and devotion if you know how to treat it accordingly. Therefore, you should only seek the best foods, grooming products, clothes, toys, and accessories, and not forget to spend as much time as possible with it to create a special bound.

Xylitol

This chemical substance is a sweetener used in gum, candies, baked goods, and even toothpaste and some diet foods. And, while it’s not harming you, it can cause liver failure and low blood sugar in your dog. Some of the immediate symptoms include nausea, vomiting, coordination problems, and lethargy. We suggest you immediately seek professional help to avoid further health complications.

Cheese

Moderate quantities of cheese won’t hurt your dog, but you should avoid feeding it since cheese is rich in fats. Although rare, some dogs can be lactose intolerant, in which case you should avoid all dairy products. If you do want to feed your pup a few slices of cheese once in a while, opt for low-fat varieties such as mozzarella or cottage cheese.

Sweets and chocolate

Chocolate contains toxic substances that can harm your dog, leading to diarrhea and vomiting. Even small amounts of dark chocolate can provoke irregular heart function, seizures, and even death. Other sweets are also high in sugar which can also boost your dog’s energy levels, making it hard to control and calm down.

We strongly advise you avoid feeding your pet sweets and especially chocolate and contact a vet immediately should you notice changes in your pet’s behavior or body.

Cinnamon

Another ingredient you should cut off your pet’s food list is cinnamon. Although it’s not toxic, you should try to avoid it as much as possible. It can cause irritations to your dog’s throat, lower its blood sugar level, or lead to diarrhea, and vomiting. If cinnamon comes in a powder form, inhaling it could lead to breathing problems and choking.

Avocado

You might love your guacamole but make sure it doesn’t end up in your dog’s tummy as well. Avocados contain a substance named persin that might cause diarrhea and vomiting if dogs ingest it. Keep in mind, especially if you grow avocados that the substance can be found on the seed, leaves, and the fruits as well.

Grapes and raisins

Even in small amounts, these fruits can cause kidney failure and death to dogs. Hyperactivity is a frequent symptom of grape poisoning, followed by lethargy in the next few days. If you suspect your pet has ingested these foods, you should immediately seek the help of a vet.

As children, we all find zoos extremely appealing and similar to Wonderlands. Magical places filled with creatures we wouldn’t be able to see otherwise are ready to take you on a ride for a price. Dozens of acres of pure joy, full of animals, birds, and new experiences at every corner are waiting for you.

I was always fascinated by zoos but as I grew up I found it more and more troubling that animals were kept away from their natural homes. And, no matter how much space they had, they would still be trapped and exposed to countless people bothering them daily.

Luckily, not all zoos are the same; some of them actually care more about the animals than we could in their natural habitats and I consider it is important to praise these kinds of institutions that manage to help animals integrate into a welcoming environment. Recently, I had a visit to the Chester Zoo and I am looking forward to telling you all about it.

Why the Chester Zoo?

There are thousands of zoos in the entire world, some bigger than the others, and some displaying a wide array of wild and endangered species of birds, insects, and animals. However, the Chester Zoo is slightly different as it is a charitable zoo.

Located in Cheshire, England, the zoo first opened its gates in 1931, and it has since become one of the largest zoos in the UK and Europe. The zoo is operated by a charitable foundation that doesn’t receive any government funding, but mainly donations.

In the past few years, it was consistently voted as one of the best zoos in the world, ranking a cool number three on 2017’s best zoos in the world list according to Tripadvisor.

What I found during my trip to the Chester Zoo is absolutely unimaginable and I can hardly describe it in words. There are over 500 species of animals and over 21000 different animals present in the zoo, out of which more than 155 were classified as endangered and threatened species.

What is different?

The Chester Zoo is by far the biggest attraction in the county and you can easily get there with a cab or with a special bus. The tickets cost around 14 pounds (20 dollars) for adults and around 11 pounds for children. However, I strongly suggest you check the prices online prior to your trip to see the exact prices.

Keep in mind that prices may vary depending on the season or the month you are visiting. Infants have a free entrance and students, elders, and families might get discounts.

In 2015 the zoo opened the Islands at Chester Zoo, each of them trying to replicate the natural environments of some endangered species such as the jaguar, the red ape or the Asian elephant.

Being an animal lover I always asked myself what do my pets actually think about me and their lives with me? Are they happy? Would they rather be somewhere else? Am I doing right by them? Do they love me? But, even though there isn’t any chance I’ll get a straight answer from them anytime soon, this doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy Hollywood’s own interpretation of animals and their lives.

Now, having animals play parts in movies and TV shows may not seem OK for animal rights activists, but for most of these animals, the experience has been a lot of fun. Plus, some of them even earned their owners big checks for their performances, meaning they could afford fancier foods and royal treatment.

So, if you’re curious about what would animals have to say about you, let’s see Hollywood’s own version of getting inside pets’ brains.

Lassie is a fictional dog character first created in the 1940s and then brought to light by the MGM studios in a TV show. On television, there were many reinterpretations of the original play, with TV shows lasting from 1954 to 1973, and then another version airing from 1997 to 1999.

Each of the movies and TV shows revolved around a female Collie dog and her adventures living with humans and their everyday lives. Lassie now is a registered trademark owned by the owner of the “original” Lassie that was, in fact, named Pal. Over the past decades, Lassie’s predecessors have all aired on TV shows, movies, and had other public appearances, increasing the breed’s popularity.

One of America’s most popular family shows, 7th Heaven aired for more than a decade, making famous lots of actors, including Jessica Biel. Happy is the only character, along with the parents of the Camden family who aired in all 243 episodes of the show.

In real life, Happy is played by a white pooch also named Happy in real life. Some of the critics claimed that Happy is the show’s second most attractive character, after Jessica Biel, the second-oldest daughter of the happy family.

Buck from Married with Children

This is probably the most popular animal character in a TV show. But, unlike other dogs that just played their happy parts in the script, Buck gets deeper into the family and even manages to “steal” some of the family traits. He is often greedy and wishes Al would just give him more money or delicious food. Or both for that matter. Without a doubt, he is the smartest member of the crew.

Cynical and money-oriented, Buck died in the 10th season of the show, but his soul reincarnated in another dog named Lucky who later adopted by the Bundy family.

Being an animal rights activist means that you don’t necessarily love animals to the extent that you would like to keep the entire fauna in your house. It’s more about understanding that they need a place of their own, just like humans need a bed and roof over their head for protection.

Zoos have a hard time because they are the ones that keep the animals in a restrained area where we can interact with them whenever we desire. However, our love to see animals has a cost and we might not like its results.

Indeed, zoos are able to educate the public and boost their appreciation for animals because they bring them together on a safe ground. By allowing this type of exposure, people learn to protect the animals. Furthermore, zoos have the power to save endangered species because they have the perfect environment to do so. They can put them in a place where there are no predators, starvation, or habitat loss issues.

Some zoos even have special breeding programs for species that are in danger of becoming extinct. In the wild, these animals can have major problems finding mates.

Zoos with a respectable reputation have high standards when it comes to the treatment provided to the animals. An international accreditation is offered to those zoo facilitations that ensure an enriched habitat where animals are extremely well cared for, have enough space to move, play, and run. Plus, they don’t get bored easily because they have all sorts of fun activities and playground at their disposal.

Another positive note in regards to zoos is that it allows you to see the animal in person, making the experience a tad more personal and memorable compared to seeing them only in documentaries.

Also, zoos can lend a helping hand and rehabilitate the wildlife because they have the material resources to take in exotic pets that people can no longer take care of.

Aside from the positive aspects, humans don’t have any right to capture, breed, and hold captive any animal, no matter what risks and dangers they prevent.

It’s a known fact that animals held in captivity suffer tremendously from stress because they are taken from their natural environment. Plus, there are cases when a zoo sells one animal to another zoo, causing, even more anxiety and tension.

When there are surplus animals, they can be bought by circus owners or worse, canned hunting facilities.

Breeding programs sound great on paper but in reality, the resulted offsprings are kept in zoos for the rest of their life and never get to see how wildlife actually looks like. Worst case scenario, they are used as barter or sent to other petting zoos.

The variety of fish tanks available for sale these days is truly daunting, especially if you are just starting out. The simplest advice I can give you is to get the best aquarium you can buy at this time, especially in terms of size. No fish like to live in a crowded environment, and there’s a high chance that you won’t want to keep a goldfish in a bowl and get it over with.

In fact, many owners would like to add extras like a bit of decor, some artificial or natural plants, and even breed fish. Even the least picky species are known to prefer bigger spaces. They give them the room they need, so they will feel more comfortable in the long run.

For example, if you plan to get a goldfish either for yourself or for someone, I would suggest opting for a 20-gallon tank at the minimum. It’s true that many aquariums can cost a pretty penny, especially if they come with various accessories such as filters. However, owning a pet, whether it is a fish or not, requires a bit of commitment when it comes to maintaining it healthy and happy.

Before buying your first tank, you need to address the issue of the type of fish you are going to own. It goes without saying that saltwater and freshwater species cannot live in the same aquarium. Many species have different needs in terms of the type of food they consume, so you will also have to do a bit of research in this sense, as well.

Starter fish can be anything from bettas to goldfish. The coolest thing about bettas is that they don’t even need a heater or a filter and they can even be kept in smaller tanks. Of course, you always have the freedom to keep them in a bowl, even though I wouldn’t recommend doing so. It is said that the vibrations caused by the movement of your pet fish hit the walls of the bowl and reverberate.

If you do decide to use the same tank for two species, I have to note that not all get along well. Overpopulation is a common issue with most aquariums that exist in homes all over the world, but this circumstance might not be the greatest problem you will have to tackle. For example, bettas are fighters, so keeping them with a small population of goldfish might be a bad idea for the latter. Tetras are more peaceful and make a great beginner fish, for example, because they won’t attack other species. However, they might become the victims of others.